Electric clock-synchronizer.



No. 702,666. Patented lune l7, I902.

C. F. MEABS.

ELECTRIC CLOCK SYNGHRONIZEB.

(Application filed May 16, 1991.)

(No Model.)

bun L in connection with a pendulum clock for the I 3 is a perspectiveView illustrating the m end of which is pi UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ELECTRIC CLOCK -SYNCHRON|ZER.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed May 16,1901.

To all whom, it 71mg colwrrlt:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MEARS, a i citizen of the United States,residing at Silver l City, in the county of Mills and State of Iowa,have invented a new and useful Electric Clock-Regulator, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention is an attachment to be used purpose of regulating thesame.

The object of the invention is to provide an attachment which can bearranged at the base of any pendulum clock and connected to atelegraphic line, which in turn connects to a centralregulating-station, so that by closing the circuit at the centralstation any and all clocks in electrical connection with the main linewill be regulated or started synchronously.

With these objects in view the invention consists in the peculiarconstruction or" the various parts and in their novel combination orarrangement, all of which will be fully described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is adiagrammatic view illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the central-station mechanism arranged in connection with thesounder. Fig.

echanism detached from the sounder.

In carrying out my invention I employ an ordinary telegraphic sounder A,which is connected with the line B, having batteries 0 an ranged thereinand also a push-button or circuit-closer D. An electromagnet E is alsoarranged upon the sounder-frame and in electrical connection therewith.This electromagnet E is employed for the purpose of setting andreleasing the regulating mechanism, which is electrically connected toone or more attachments arranged in connection with one or more pendulumclocks.

F indicates an operating-arm to the upper voted a lever G. The end G ofsaid lever G is adapted for" contact with the sounder-arm, while the endG? is made hooked and is intended to engage thebevel endof the arm H,pivoted at its lower end, as shown at H, and carrying an armature I,

is pressed in adva which is adapted to be attracted by the elec- PatentNo. 702,666, dated June 17, 1902. Serial No. 60,581. (No model.)

tromagnet E. A lever K is pivoted to the upright arm F about midway itsheight, the forward end of said lever being bent back upon itself, asshown at K, to provide a book which engages a lug H carried by the armH, thereby holding the said arm in its proper upright position, and alever L also rests upon the lever K,'thereby holding the hooked end incontact with the lug II". The lever L is attached to a bracket L, whichis pivoted to the upright arm F. One end of said lever bears upon theend G of the lever G.

M indicates the line extending from the central station to thesubstationcontaining the clock to be regulated, said line being connected to theelectromagnet N, which operates the armature-lever O, which in turnreleases an arm P, arranged upon the wheel Q, said wheel havingalaterally-projecting restpin R, upon which bears the long arm or thelever S, the short arm S of which contacts or projects into the path ofthe pendulumrod T.

U represents a bell, and W spring mechanism for sounding the'same, saidmechanism being operated by contact therewith of the long arm of thelever S as it falls after being released from the pin R.

In operating my invention the clock to be regulated is stopped a fewseconds prior to the time of regulation and the pendulum swung to oneside or out of plumb and held in that position by engaging with theshort arm S of the lever S, the long arm of said lever being supportedby the pin R. The levenH is swung up into position in front of themagnet E and held there by swinging the lever K into its horizontalposition and cansing the hook K to engage with the lug H This willnecessitate the raising of the lever L until one end of it will engagewith the end of the lever G and hold it down out of contact with thesounder at one end and hold the other end of the lever high enough topermit of'the passage of the end of the lever H. At the same timethat'this arrangement of parts takes place the hands of the clock shouldbe moved forward to the hourat which the clock is to be started. Whenthe push-button D uce of the time for regulation, the magnet E isenergized, drawing the armature I thereto, andthe lug H is thereby movedinto a position which releases the lever K, and the weight of the leverL will throw the said lever K downwardly, and at the same time the leverG is released by the lover L, and the end G will drop into engagementwith the upper end of the arm- H. At the hour of eleven or twelve or anyother hour which may be selected as the time for regulation the circuitis closed by the operator at the central regulating-station, asVashington, D. (3., Which will operate all theinstrumerits upon theline, and the sounder of each instrument operating upon the end G of thelever G raises thelend (33, so that when the circuit is broken the arm Hwill drop and its contact-point H will contact with the platinum pointM, which forms one of the terminals of the li'ne M. The circuit beingthus closed,' the ma 'net N is energized, attracting the armature whichimmediately releases the arm P, causi-n the Wheel Q to rotatesufifeiently to move t e pin R from beneath the arm S, and the said armdropping releases the pendulum and at the same time operates thestriking mechanism and sounds the bell. The clock will thus be startedand the bell sounded at the exact moment of sounding the signal from themain or central station, and it will of course be understood that anynumber of regulating mechanisms maybe operated from one main or centralstation.

It will also be understood that the means for setting and releasing usedin connection with the sounder may be changed or varied somewhat Withoutdeparting from the broad principles of my invention.

Having thus fully described inyinvcntion, What I claim as new,and-desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In adeviceofthe kind described,thc combination with the sounder, anelectromagnet arranged in connection therewith, an armature arranged inconnection with the said magnet, an arm carrying the said armature, alever mechanism for releasing the said arm, the elbow-lever for checkingthe motion of a pendulum, the electromagnetic means for releasing thesaid lever, the line connecting the said electromagnetic device, and thesounder, the swinging arm carrying a contact-point adapted to close thecircuit, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a sounder, of an upright arm carrying a lever atits upper end and a lever intermediate its end, and a third leveradapted to hold the other levers in position, a pivoted arm carrying anarmature, and a contact-point, the line-wires and air;

cuit-closer, the electromagnet and its armature, the rotating wheelcarrying the arm and pin, and the elbow-lever adapted to rest upon thepin, and the bell. and striking mechanism, all arranged and adapted tooperate, substantially as described.

CHARLES F. MEARS. Vitnesses:

R. A. BATEs, HERBERT II. IIUFFAKER.

